Disk imaging is widely used to backup and restore data on computer storage media. Disk imaging, as known in the art, captures a snapshot of the data on a computer hard disk. The captured image may be used subsequently to re-create the disk. Existing disk imaging solutions are sector based. That is, these solutions copy the disk physical data as it is laid out on the hard disk sector by sector, in raw binary format, regardless of whether the data is useful or not (e.g., even empty space is captured). Further, files that should not be captured, such as page files, are also captured resulting in large image files that inefficiently use storage resources. Existing systems that store the large image files on storage resources accessible over a network also inefficiently use network resources.
Existing file backup solutions save the logical content of the file system in online mode (e.g., while executing an operating system stored at least in part on the file system). However, files such as some subset of operating system files cannot be captured while the file system is online. Further, the existing file backup solutions do not preserve information relating to the disk partition, boot sector, and the like. As such, the existing file backup solutions cannot restore an entire disk to a prior state.
Defragmentation tools, as known in the art, move file segments around on a disk to minimize the physical separation of logically continuous file segments. Existing defragmentation tools operating on a file system execute in online mode (e.g., while an operating system stored at least in part on the file system is being executed). As such, the existing defragmentation tools are limited at least in that critical file system data and files locked by the executing operating system cannot be defragmented. Further, if the disk is mostly full, the defragmentation process requires a significant amount of time to complete.